Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is a comprehensive year-long course geared toward educators teaching high school cybersecurity. With over a hundred and fifty lesson topics and a plethora of activities, the Cybersecurity course provides the rigor and relevance expected for top quality cybersecurity education. Not only does Cybersecurity introduce real-world cybersecurity concepts and skills, it also prepares students to verify their technical know-how through the CompTIA Security+ certification.

Activities in Cybersecurity are designed for use with a cyber range (a virtual lab environment where students are able to simulate cybersecurity scenarios in a safe, protected online environment) as they explore the back end of IT systems used by today’s industries. Activities and labs are portable and applicable across a variety of classroom lab configurations. It does not require any specific cyber range. All activities are "range agnostic."

More than just a course on “how to hack,” Cybersecurity lays a foundation of understanding cyber law and policy, Linux, networking technology basics, risk assessment, cryptography, and a variety of essential cybersecurity tools – all the essential knowledge and skills needed to begin a future in the cyber workforce.

Number of Units

Subjects

Cybersecurity

Grade Levels

Duration (hours)

180

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Standard Frameworks

CompTIA SY0-601 Security+ Objectives

Cyber Connections

Cybersecurity

Privacy

Threats and Vulnerabilities

Cyber Hygiene

Digital Citizenship

Laws and Ethics

Cryptography

Networks and Internet

Hardware and Software

What You'll Teach

Unit 1 – Intro to Linux

In this unit, students will explore the basics of a Linux operating system.

Unit 2 – Forensics

In this unit, students will explore the basics of forensics, logs, and metadata.

Unit 3 – Passwords

In this unit, students will learn how passwords are stored and why stronger passwords are needed.

Unit 4 – Encryption and Cryptography

In this unit, students will explore different encryption methods and the importance of cryptography in cybersecurity.

Unit 5 – Authentication and Security Protocols

In this unit, students will understand authentication methods and different security protocols that are used to keep users safe.

Unit 6 – Social Engineering

In this unit, students will understand the principles of social engineering and different threats that exist with social engineering.

Unit 7 – Threat Vectors

In this unit, students will learn about different threat actors and vulnerabilities that exist.

Unit 8 – Malware and Attacks Part I

In this unit, students are introduced to malware and some common types of malware.

Unit 9 - Malware and Attacks Part II

In this unit, students will continue learning about different malware including malicious AI, fileless viruses, and buffer overflows.

Unit 10 - Malware and Attacks Part III

In this unit, students will start to explore web application malware and vulnerabilities.

Unit 11 - Malware and Attacks Part IV

In this unit, students will explore wireless malware and vulnerabilities.

Unit 12 – Architecture and Design

In this unit, students will learn about software development security, backups, and embedded systems.

Unit 13 – Network Security

In this unit, students will learn the basics of securing a network.